ADOR vs Danielle: Second Hearing in 33 Billion Won Tort Claim Over Contract Termination

The 31st Civil Division of the Seoul Central District Court held the second hearing on June 11 at 2:04 p.m. in the lawsuit filed by ADOR against three individuals, including former NewJeans member Danielle, seeking penalty payments and damages for breach of contract. The two sides clashed sharply over whether the contract had been fulfilled after a preliminary injunction order in March 2025 and the reasons behind the contract termination.

ADOR claimed that Danielle continued to pursue independent activities despite the injunction order issued on March 21, 2025. As a specific example, they cited a planned release of a collaborative track with the American band Emotional Oranges on May 16, 2025. ADOR stated that the artist fees required for this release amounted to $175,000 (approximately 240 million won), and these expenses, along with video shoot work ongoing since Hong Kong ComplexCon, were covered under the current contract. ADOR interpreted these actions as a signal that Danielle had “no intention of complying with the injunction order.”

ADOR also reasserted its claim that Minhee Jin, former CEO of ADOR, persuaded the NewJeans members and their parents to push for contract termination. Citing Telegram conversations from October 21, 2024, they emphasized that Minhee Jin told the NewJeans parents, “I will arrange things so you can avoid financial losses such as penalty payments or damages,” and “I will prepare compensation if you leave HYBE.” Danielle’s mother, surnamed Mo, was said to have suggested “adjusting the date of signing the contract back to before the injunction order (March 21, 2025)” or “receiving that payment through Marsh Danielle’s business entity.” ADOR’s legal representative explained, “We are seeking penalty payments due to Danielle’s breach of the exclusive contract, as well as damages for credit damage.”

Danielle’s side strongly rejected ADOR’s allegations. They claimed that during the exclusive contract dispute, ADOR had said, “We will somehow get NewJeans back and ensure they can perform,” and “Don’t worry—just return.” They stated that Lee Do-kyung, CEO of ADOR, had “pleaded earnestly for NewJeans to return to ADOR even to the point of shedding tears,” and that the members had “unanimously decided” to return to ADOR after much deliberation. However, they pointed out that ADOR’s attitude changed completely after their return. Danielle’s side explained, “Suddenly, there were claims that only some members’ authenticity would be verified, and Danielle was unilaterally notified of contract termination.” They also dismissed ADOR’s claim that “strange circumstances (the reasons for termination) became apparent after the (first-instance) judgment, forcing termination” by stating that “this case was filed aiming to terminate the exclusive contract because no corrective actions were taken for past issues.”

Danielle’s side asserted that “it was ADOR’s current management that caused and sustained the unprecedented situation of NewJeans stopping activities” and emphasized that “the current ADOR board, controlled by HYBE’s C-level executives, has neither the willingness nor the ability to guarantee NewJeans’ activities.”

On October 30, 2025, the 41st Civil Conciliation Division of the Seoul Central District Court (presided over by Judge Jeong Hwe-il) ruled in favor of ADOR in the lawsuit seeking confirmation of the validity of the exclusive contract against NewJeans. The court concluded that “the trust relationship between ADOR and NewJeans had not deteriorated to the extent that it made contract continuation impossible,” but NewJeans declined to appeal, confirming the first-instance decision. On March 21, 2025, the Seoul Central District Court issued a preliminary injunction order recognizing the NewJeans exclusive contract as valid. Two days later, on March 23, NewJeans appeared at Hong Kong ComplexCon and officially announced that they would stop activities out of respect for the court’s decision.

ADOR initially sought penalty payments and damages totaling 44 billion won but later reduced the amount to 33 billion won.